No. 2, 4, and 6 on Xianhua Street are row houses featuring polygonal gabled roofs, with a cohesive gray-blue exterior and three prominent chimneys standing out. There is no lawn or garden, nor any porch—entry is directly facing the street. Skatter from the Tinggen Municipal Housing Improvement Company holds a series of copper keys, opening the door while introducing: "Our row houses have no foyer; upon entering, you step directly into the living room, which has a projecting window facing Xianhua Street, offering excellent natural light." What meets the eyes of Klein, Bensen, and Melissa is a set of upholstered sofas bathed in golden sunlight, and a spacious area that rivals the size of their previous two-bedroom apartment. "This living room can also serve as a dining room, with the dining area on the right side and a large fireplace on the left wall for winter heating," Skatter points out with familiarity. Klein took a quick glance, confirming the space was rough and open—no separation between the dining area and living room, yet it was somewhat dim due to its distance from the projecting window. There was a modest rectangular wooden table in the center, surrounded by six soft-padded, solid wooden armchairs. The fireplace on the left wall resembled the ones he had seen in foreign films and television shows. "The dining area leads to the kitchen, though we don't provide any tableware. Across from the living room is a small guest room and bathroom..." Scater began walking, giving a detailed overview of the rest of the first floor. The bathrooms consisted of an outer and an inner room—the outer one for washing and the inner one for the toilet, separated by a folding door. The guest rooms were small, yet one of them was as spacious as the alcove where Melissa currently lived, which made her momentarily stunned. After touring the first floor, Scater led the siblings up the corridor adjacent to the bathroom to the stairs: "Down below is a basement storage room, with air that feels heavy and stagnant. Be sure to ventilate it before entering each time." Banser nodded quietly and followed Scart up the stairs. "To my left is a bathroom, with two bedrooms on the same side. On my right, the layout is the same, though the bathroom is closer to the small balcony." As he spoke, Scart opened the bathroom door and leaned slightly, allowing Caine, Banser, and Melissa a clear view. The bathroom featured a bathtub in addition to the first-floor one, and there was a folding door beside the toilet. Though slightly dusty, it was otherwise clean, neither foul-smelling nor crowded. Melissa stared at it in quiet wonder until Scart moved toward the adjacent bedroom, when she gradually turned her gaze and walked steadily behind him. After a few steps, she glanced back. Klein, having seen more of the world, was equally delighted and enthusiastic. Even though the landlord frequently supervised the cleaning, the public restrooms remained far from clean—often leaving one with a strong urge to vomit—and during particularly busy times, queues were a constant issue. The other restrooms were similar: among the four bedrooms, only one was slightly larger and featured bookshelves; the rest were of comparable size, equipped with beds, tables, and wardrobes. "As a homebuyer from a country known for its love of dining, the desire to purchase a property has always lingered in his heart. Hearing the question, both Bensen and Melissa were taken aback, staring at Kline as though he were a creature from another world, while Skatter firmly replied, 'Buy? No, we won't be selling properties—we'll only be offering rentals.' 'I just want to understand, that's all,' Kline explained, somewhat embarrassed. After a moment of hesitation, Skatter said, 'Last month, the owner of the house at 11 Waterlily Street sold a similar property on a land lease basis—15 years for 300 pounds. That's significantly cheaper than a direct rental, though not everyone can come up with that kind of sum at once. If they're looking to fully purchase the property, the asking price is 850 pounds.' 850 pounds?" Caine quickly began mental arithmetic: My weekly salary is three pounds, Baines earns one pound ten shillings... Rent is thirteen shillings, plus a good meal every day, which amounts to nearly two pounds per week. There's also my share of clothing, transportation, social expenses, and so on—week by week, I can save only about ten shillings. Over a year, that totals roughly thirty-five pounds. To accumulate eight hundred and fifty pounds would take nearly twenty years... Even just the three hundred pounds for the land lease, which is a straightforward term, would require at least eight or nine years... And that doesn't include future events such as marriage, family divisions, children, or overseas travel. In a world without personal home loans, most people would likely have to opt for renting. With this realization, Caine stepped back, glanced at his brother Baines, and gestured for him to negotiate the rent. As for Melissa's wishes, her bright, steady gaze made it clear! In that moment, Caine felt as though the door had closed, and Baines was being left behind. Benson tapped the staff—unsilvered—against the side, glanced around, and said, "We should take a look at some other houses. The dining room here is poorly lit, and the balcony is quite small. Look, only that bedroom has a fireplace, and the furniture is all quite outdated; we’d have to replace half of it upon moving in." Speaking at a steady, measured pace, he listed a series of complaints and, within ten minutes, successfully convinced Scart to reduce the price to 12 shillings for rent and 3 pence for furniture usage, with the deposit rounded to two pounds. No further delay, the three siblings followed Scart back to the "Tinggen Municipal Housing Improvement Company," signed two copies of the contract, and then went to the Tinggen Notary Office to have it officially certified. "It feels like we've been dreaming..." After a moment, Melissa lifted her head and gazed at the "Moretti" house ahead, her voice soft and hushed. Bensen exhaled and smiled, saying, "Then just stay asleep." Kline didn't feel quite as moved, nodded gently, and said, "We need to replace the locks on the front door and the balcony door as soon as possible." "That won't be an issue—Tinggen Housing Improvement has an excellent reputation. The only thing left is your formal attire expenses. But before that, we need to go to Mr. Franchi's." Bensen pointed toward the apartment. ... ... After returning home and having a simple meal of rye bread, the three siblings went to the row house on the Iron Cross Street and knocked on the landlord's door. "You should know my principle—absolute non-payment of rent is not tolerated!" Mr. Franchi, a short, sturdy man, declared with authority, sitting on the sofa. Bensen leaned forward, smiled, and said, "Mr. Franchi, we're here to vacate." "So direct? Really, is this the best way to negotiate?" Klein was astonished to hear this. On the way over, Bensen had said his bottom line was a compensation of 12 souls. "Vacate? No! We have a lease—we still have six months!" Franchi stared at Bensen, waving his arms emphatically. Bensen looked at him seriously, and only after the tension had settled did he speak calmly: "Mr. Franchi, you should be well aware that you should be earning more." "Earning more?" Franchi touched his lean face, showing genuine interest. Bensen sat up straight, smiling gently and explaining: "Three people rent our two-bedroom apartment for five souls and six pence. But if you rent it to families of five or six members, with two or even three of them working and earning salaries, I'm certain they would be willing to pay more—rather than going to the neighborhood with such poor security, where they'd pay five souls and ten pence, or six souls, which I believe is a fair price." Seeing Frank's eyes light up and his throat move, he continued: "Moreover, I'm sure you're aware that rental prices have been rising steadily over the past few years—the longer we stay, the greater your losses become." "Yet... I need time to find new tenants." Mr. Frank, who had inherited the apartment, clearly showed his interest. "I'm confident you'll find them quickly—you have both the ability and the resources. Perhaps within two or three days... we'll compensate you for this period of transition, using our security deposit of three Swiss francs—quite fair!" Bensen immediately made the decision. Frank nodded in satisfaction: "Bensen, you're truly a conscientious, honest young man. Very well, let's sign the 'Termination Agreement.'" Klein stood by, stunned, now fully understanding why Mr. Frank had been so easily convinced. This was simply too easy to convince… After settling the issues from their previous lease, the three siblings first helped Klein purchase formal attire and then got busy with the move. They didn’t have any heavy or bulky items—those belonged to the landlord—so Benson and Melissa jointly "rejected" Klein’s proposal to hire a carriage and instead took matters into their own hands, making multiple back-and-forth trips between the Narcissus Street and the Iron Cross Street. With the afternoon sun slanting through the arched windows, golden hues tinged with a hint of warmth spilled across the desk surface. Klein glanced at the neatly arranged books and notes on the shelf, then gently placed his ink and pen on the now-clean desk. Finally, it was all done… He exhaled, feeling a gentle rumble in his stomach, and as he folded his sleeves, walked toward the door. He had a bed all his own, with white sheets and blankets that were slightly worn but clean. Cranking the handle, Kleiner stepped out of the bedroom, just as he was about to speak, to find both doors across from him opening simultaneously, revealing the figures of Benson and Melissa. Seeing the gray dust and soiled stains on each other's faces, Kleiner and Benson burst into laughter—bright, genuine laughter. Melissa gently bit her lower lip, gradually caught up in the mood, and softly smiled. ………… The next morning. Kleiner stood before the now-unfractured dressing mirror, carefully smoothing out the collar and cuffs of his shirt. The ensemble—white shirt, black tailcoat, half-high silk hat, black vest and trousers, leather boots, and a tie—had cost him eight pounds, an amount he had found deeply painful to part with. Yet the result was excellent; he felt the mirror image of himself radiate a more scholarly air, as if he had grown more refined and poised. Click! He closed his watch, placed it in his inner pocket, then took up his cane, concealed the revolver, and boarded the track-bound public carriage to arrive at Zothlan Street. Only as he approached the Black Thorns Security Company did he realize that he had grown accustomed to his previous lifestyle—this morning, he had failed to give Melissa any extra money, letting her walk on to school alone. Shaking his head, he noted the oversight and stepped into the company, where he saw Rosan, a girl with brown hair, expertly brewing coffee, filling the air with its rich aroma. "Good morning, Craine! What a lovely day," Rosan greeted warmly, "I must say, I've always been curious—on such a pleasant day, don't you men find it rather warm in your formal attire? I know that Tinggen's summers aren't as hot as those further south, but it's still summer, isn't it?" "It's the price of good manners," Craine replied with a smile. "Good morning, Miss Rosan. Where is Captain?" "At his usual spot," Rosan indicated toward the interior. Klein nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, and through the partition, knocked on the door of Dunning Smith's office. "Come in," Dunning's voice and tone remained as low and gentle as always. Noticing that Klein had indeed changed into a well-put-together business suit, Dunning gave a slight nod, his gray eyes warm and smiling. "Have you made your decision?" Klein took a deep breath and responded seriously. "Yes, I have made my choice." Dunning slowly sat up straighter, his expression instantly becoming serious, his gray eyes deep and steady. "Tell me your answer." Klein replied without hesitation. "Seer!"